1. Field of the Invention
Over a substantial number of years I have engaged in an extensive and continuing plant breeding program at my experimental nursery and orchard located near Le Grand, Merced County, Calif.; one purpose of such program being to provide improved varieties of fruit trees. The present variety of nectarine tree resulted from my endeavors in the conduct of such plant breeding program.
2. Prior Varieties
Among the existent varieties of nectarine tree which are known to me, I make particular reference to the Red Diamond (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,165), May Grand (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,794), and Early Sun Grand (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 1,420) as mentioned hereinafter in this specification.
Origin of the variety: The present variety of nectarine tree was originated by me, in my experimental nursery and orchard located as aforesaid, as an open-pollinated seedling of the Red Diamond; a number of such seedlings having been grown under careful and continuing observation. The present variety was selected by me from such seedlings upon evidencing desirable characteristics for commercial production.
Asexual reproduction of the variety: Subsequent to origination and selection by me of the present variety of nectarine tree, I asexually reproduced it by top-working on orchard trees, and--in maturity--such reproductions ran true to the original tree in all respects.
Summary of the variety: The present variety of nectarine tree is of large-medium size, spreading, hardy, foliated with large, lanceolate, acutely pointed leaves having a crenate margin, medium length petiole, and medium size, alternate, reniform glands, blooms early-medium from hardy, medium length, pointed flower buds, the flowers being large and pink, and the tree is a regular and productive bearer of large, early-ripening, uniform, symmetrical, globose-oblong fruit which is freestone when fully ripe, the fruit having a yellow ground color substantially overspread and highly colored with a dark red, and the flesh is yellow.
The present variety of nectarine is further particularly characterized by early-ripening fruit--as described above--which ripens between the May Grand nectarine and the Early Sun Grand nectarine; the fruit having superior shipping and keeping quality in comparison to like-season fruit of other nectarine and peach varieties.